Gambhir fit for England Tour

Indian opener Gautam Gambhir declared himself fully fit for the upcoming tour of England. Gambhir who opted out from the ongoing tour of West Indies because of a shoulder injury has confirmed that he is ready for the England tour. Gambhir also stated that he has some plans and strategies to counter the seaming conditions there, and he has made the mental adjustments to do just that.

Also Read: India Tour Of England 2011 – Complete Schedule

Gambhir who has scored 3234 runs in 38 Tests at an average of 51.33, will be playing his 1st test on English soil if he gets picked for the series. Gambhir said that he is ready for the challenge and he is practicing hard to live up to the pressure and expectations. Gambhir’s availability will be a huge relief for the selectors because he is top batsman and very consistent at the top of the order. With India’s new opening pair failing to make an impact at the Caribbean, the selectors will now have better options to choose from.

Controversy stirred after it was revealed that he participated and captained KKR in the IPL while carrying the injury. When asked if he could have avoided the IPL? Gambhir defended himself by saying – “I feel sad for guys like Iqbal Abdullah, Manoj Tiwary, Shaqib-Al Hasan, Rajat Bhatia and many more who had done so well in IPL but because of this unwanted controversy the focus shifted somewhat. Look, I have always been committed to the team that I represent, that’s my upbringing. My family values have taught me to be committed and that’s what I do for a club team, state team, country or a franchisee. I know how hard I have worked for my India cap and what it means to me. I can’t deride the honour of playing for India”.

Indians will have one practice match against Somerset before the series begins. Gambhir said that 1 match is enough for the players to get accustomed to the conditions.

Gambhir also touched different issues during his interview, which included his relationship with skipper MS Dhoni, former coach Gary Kirsten, the new DRS system and the jam packed international schedule. With many injured and rested players likely to come back into the team to play against England, the Indian team will be back to its full strength and we can expect good results from them.

Tags: Cricket, Cricket India, England, Gautam Gambhir, India, Indian Cricket